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If you have ever wanted to raise an organic garden, here are a few tips to get you started. Just like human illnesses, plants have their own disease symptoms and prescription for treatment. Therefore, identifying the cause of the disease is the first step in its management. Like with humans, treatment for insect pests will be different than that for fungal, viral, bacterial, nutrient, or environmental disorders.
Yes, organic systems do employ pesticides. Even organic gardens have to deal with Japanese beetles, aphids, and fungal infections. The difference is that organic products are derived from naturally occurring substances rather than synthetically made. To find organic insecticides look on the product label for active ingredients like neem oil, pyrethrin, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), Dipel, and horticultural soap or oil. Read the label to ensure they can target the pest you have identified. Even though it contains organic ingredients, a pesticide is still something that kills pests, so it is important to follow proper safety precautions on the label.
Neem oils are derived from the fruits and nuts of the Neem tree, an evergreen from India. It can perform as an insecticide, miticide, and fungicide. Pyrethrin is a natural insecticide extracted from chrysanthemums. Bt, or Dipel is a naturally occurring bacterium with good insecticidal properties for young caterpillars. And finally
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horticultural oils and soaps are effective on soft-bodied insects like mealybugs, aphids, and whiteflies. However not all insects are our hard-core enemies.
Beneficial insects are an equally important organic gardening tool. For example, ladybugs control aphids and mites. Assassin bugs, pirate bugs, predatory wasps, tachinid flies, lacewings, and ground beetles kill other garden pests from insect eggs, larva, and adults, to slugs. Many of these beneficial insects also consume nectar and pollen between meals, therefore the use of companion plants can act as a welcome mat for many of these predators as they search for better hunting grounds.
Companion plants can be established around the garden perimeter or within the vegetable rows themselves. Marigolds, nasturtiums, rosemary, tansy, thyme, oregano, and basil all attract beneficials while deterring beetles, mosquitoes, flies, and other pests. Some, as you have noticed, can pull double duty as kitchen herbs as well.
Horticulture extension agent, Aimee Marshall, can help identify problem insect pests and crop diseases. Gardeners can bring the insect or plant to the office for assistance in diagnosis. Our office also has soil sample boxes available for lime and fertilizer
Aimee Marshall
Horticulture/Forestry Agent
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